1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for remotely interfacing with a computer system and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for detecting potential lock-up conditions in a video graphics controller.
2. Description of Related Art
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art which may be related to various aspects of the present invention which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Advances in computing technology have caused a shift away from centralized mainframe computing to distributed computing using multiple personal computers (PCs) connected to a network. The network typically includes one or more server-class personal computers to handle file, print, and application services that are common to computers connected to the server. Therefore, the server becomes an important resource which the entire network depends upon.
Oftentimes, businesses may require more than one server, networks may demand isolation for security reasons, and networks may be logically subdivided for performance or practical reasons. In particular, networks may be in different geographic locations. However, the maintenance and management of the servers typically falls onto a single group or person, called a network administrator. In those cases where the managed server is in an inconvenient location, it is desirable for the network administrator to be able to monitor the health of the managed server without traveling to its location.
In the past, the local network administrator operating from a remote management computer could telephonically connect into the operating system of a managed server to monitor its health using a conventional communications package such as PC Anywhere, CarbonCopy, or Compaq Insight Manager. This method required a third communications computer to be attached to the network. Typically, a connection would first be established from the remote management computer to the communications computer attached to the network of the server. If the server was operating, the network administrator would be prompted for a login password to access network resources, including the server. If the server was down, only the communications computer could be accessed (providing that PC had its own modem). After the administrator logged into the network, a server console utility, such as RCONSOLE, could be executed to gain access to the server. Because many times the server would be down, this method had limited usefulness. Additionally, only limited information was provided, since the server would have to be operating before the server console utility would operate.
Network administrators also have used products such as Compaq""s Insight Manager. This software product is loaded by the operating system to allow users to connect to the operating system through a dedicated modem using (remote access service) RAS/PPP point to point) protocols. This method also allows insight into the operating system, but only when the server is operating.
To help in this regard, an accessory known as Compaq Server Manager/R was developed. This accessory was essentially a personal computer system on an add-in board adapted to interact with the host server. Server manager/R included a processor, memory, modem, and software to operate independently of the server to which it was installed. To monitor the server from a remote location, the network administrator would dial into the Server Manager/R board and establish a communications link. If a connection was established, the processor of Server Manager/R would periodically acquire access to an expansion bus of the server to read the contents of the server video memory. The processor would then parse the contents for text to send to the local computer via the communications link. Due to its autonomous nature, the Server Manager/R board was available even when the server OS was down (offline) or when the server was booting. A separate power supply was provided to the Server Manager/R board so that it would operate even while the server was powered down. Although the functionality provided by the Compaq Server Manager/R board was useful, because it was essentially a second computer, the high cost of this solution and its ability to only display text video modes limited its success.
Later, a more integrated approach was taken with a device known as the integrated remote console (IRC) device. This device would connect to a conventional peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus to monitor video activity. As PCI transactions were passed to a video controller also attached to the PCI bus, the IRC device would snoop the video transactions for the purpose of encoding the screen activity and sending the encoded data to a remote computer. IRC worked best with text-mode operating systems. If the server was running a graphical operating system, such as Microsoft Windows, the IRC device would cease to transmit information when the graphics mode was entered. Thus, although the IRC device was very useful for text-mode operating systems and to monitor graphical operating systems prior to entrance into graphics mode, a more complete solution was desired.
The present invention may be directed to one or more of the problems set forth above.